APEC Launches Guide For Businesses On Surviving Crises
Bandar Seri Begawan - APEC has launched an authoritative Tourism Risk Management Guide and training package to help businesses dependent on the tourism trade to survive natural disasters and crises.
According to APEC news release, this is the first time that formal risk management processes have been applied to the tourism sector. The materials are now freely available for government and tourism industry organisations around the region to use, reproduce and distribute as required.
Launched on May 14 in Gold Coast, Australia, the programme was developed as a direct response to the damage inflicted upon the tourism industry by disasters, which include the Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami, the Bali bombings, Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks. The Information Guide and training programmes have been researched and published by the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST), in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the Pacific Asia Travel Association and the Australian government.
Available in five languages, the APEC Tourism Risk Management Guide is designed to enable national and regional governments and tourism organisations to help tourism destinations and tourism-related businesses plan and deal with crises more effectively when they strike.
AICST Chair, Sir Frank Moore, said that the experiences of recent years, when thousands of lives, business and jobs were lost as a result of both natural and man-made disasters, have provided numerous lessons from which the region must learn.
“Nothing good comes from disasters such as tsunamis and bombings, but we owe it to those who have suffered to learn from their experiences to reduce harm in the future,” Sir Frank said at the launch of the programme in Gold Coast yesterday. Sir Frank said Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei
Darussalam have grown as important tourism destinations in a region that has also seen its share of disasters and crises, which have cost lives. “We need to learn from the crises that have hit the region, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other disasters, so that damage is minimised, should they occur again,” Sir Frank said. “TIYe guide and the training materials are available in Bahasa as either a printed or downloadable series of guides and workbooks.
“When implemented within destinations and by both small and large tourism operators, the Tourism Risk Management approach will help prevent business and job losses, as well as reduce loss of life and injuries in the event of a disaster. The businesses that will benefit from the programme include not only those directly servicing visitors, but also operations that provide supplies, support services and other inputs such as bakers, taxi drivers, printing companies and laundries.”
The training programmes include Instructors’ Guides and Workshop Participants’ Workbooks that cover issues such as developing risk assessment and management strategies before a disaster strikes, dealing with a disaster when it occurs and recovery after the threat has passed.
Sir Frank said that it was important for tourism operators too have an understanding of how risk management can improve their businesses.
“Planning for all eventualities is essential, no matter if it is a disaster such as an act of nature or terrorist attack or a longer-term crisis, such as an avian influenza pandemic. “This includes identifying opportunities to improve business planning and policies through methods such as maintaining contact with the media to provide essential information on tourism facilities and services.
“Importantly, in times of crisis, both residents and visitors need firm leadership and direction, and this requires adequate pre-planning.”
By Amin Hosni — Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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Add comment May 21st, 2007